Gluten Free Halloween Linzer Cookies

Gluten Free Halloween Linzer Cookies are a spooky twist on my favorite Gluten Free Linzer Cookie Recipe. Think of them as a cross between sugar cookies and shortbread - tender, filled with sweet jam, and all dressed up for the spookiest night of the year. The perfect treat to celebrate Halloween.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: Over the years, I have made the dough for Gluten Free Halloween Linzer Cookies with just about every gluten free flour blend available in the US, as well as my own Gluten Free Flour Baking Blend. My personal favorite is King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour. It creates a dough that’s less sticky and much easier to roll out compared to other blends, like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1. If you want cookies that hold their shape and are simple to cut, King Arthur is the way to go.

Almond Flour: Traditionally, Linzer Cookies are made with hazelnut flour, but since it can be pricey and harder to find in the U.S., I like to use finely ground almond flour instead. Almond flour gives these cookies the same nutty, tender texture we all love. If you can get your hands on hazelnut flour, definitely give it a try sometime - it adds a rich, authentic flavor. Pro tip: always store any leftover almond flour (or nut flours in general) in the freezer to keep them fresh and prevent spoilage.

Powdered Sugar: Halloween Linzer Cookies made with powdered sugar (also called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar) have a softer texture and a more delicate crumb. Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar helps create the classic melt-in-your-mouth texture that Linzer cookies are known for.

Butter: For the best results, use unsalted butter at room temperature - about 65°F. Keep in mind that this is cooler than what many of us usually think of as “room temperature.” To test if your butter is ready, gently press it with your finger. It should give slightly and leave an indent, but it shouldn’t be so soft that your finger sinks right through.

Raspberry Jam: I love using seedless raspberry jam for these Halloween Linzer Cookies, and it’s also the traditional Austrian filling. The tart, fruity flavor pairs perfectly with the buttery cookie layers. Other delicious options include classic fruit jams like strawberry, blueberry or even pumpkin butter. And for the chocolate lovers out there, you can’t go wrong with a layer of creamy Nutella.

Recommended Tools

To successfully make gluten free halloween linzer cookies, you will need a few kitchen tools:

• Digital Kitchen Scale: a digital kitchen scale is a must-have to make this recipe (or any of my recipes).
• Cookie Cutters: Please be aware that baking time varies depending on the size of the cookie cutters you are using. So please adjust baking times accordingly. I use the ghost cookie cutters from this Halloween Cookie Cutter Set.
• Cutters for Eyes and Mouth: This is where one has to get a bit creative. I actually use the tip of an Ateco 801 Piping Tip for the eyes and the big opening of a Wilton 4 tip (about 1 ¾cm, 17mm) for the mouth. If you have reusable drinking straws, these may work for the ghost eyes as well.
• Rolling Pin: you will need a rolling pin to roll out the gluten free cookie dough. BUT, you can always use a clean bottle (like a wine bottle) in a pinch
• Offset Spatula: I love using Mini Offsets to move unbaked sugar cookie dough from the counter to the baking sheet. I also use it to fill the baked cookies with jam.

Gluten Free Linzer Cookie Dough

Traditionally, Linzer cookie dough is prepared right on the counter by cutting the butter into the dry ingredients, then adding the egg and kneading it by hand. To simplify the process, I use a stand mixer - it saves time and keeps the dough consistent without all the extra effort.

1. Step 1:  In a small bowl, whisk or sift together the gluten free flour, almond flour and kosher salt. Set aside.

2. Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the unsalted butter (cut into small pieces) and powdered sugar. At a medium speed, cream the butter and powdere sugar together until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the side with a flexible spatula.

3. Step 3: Add the whole egg and vanilla extract, then mix again until well-combined for an additional minute.

4. Step 4: The egg and butter sugar mixture may look curdled which is normal.

5. Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and with the mixer running on low, mix everything together. This may take up to a minute but the dough will slowly come together. 

6. Step 6: The gluten free linzer cookie dough will look soft and may be a tad sticky. If you like you can pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes before bringing it together to a smooth dough.

7. Step 7: Remove the dough from the stand mixer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet or a lightly floured surface.

8. Step 8: Gently shape it into a disk or rectangle with your hands. If the dough feels sticky, sprinkle on a little extra flour to help bring it together. Wrap the gluten-free Linzer cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until firm enough to roll out.

Rolling out Halloween Linzer Cookie Dough

Once the dough is rolled out, let it rest in the fridge for about 10–15 minutes. This quick chill makes the dough easier to cut and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking. If your kitchen runs warm or humid, don’t skip this step - it makes all the difference!

1. Step 1: Divide the gluten free linzer cookie dough in half.
2. Step 2: Working with one half at a time, place it on a piece of parchment paper and with clean hands press it out into an ½" inch disk. This will make rolling out a lot easier.
3. Step 3: Lay a second sheet of parchment paper over the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between the two sheets until it's about ⅛th inch (around 3 millimeters) thick. If needed light flour the surface and the dough.

4. Step 4: To make the rolling process smoother, I like to turn the dough over a few times. This helps prevent sticking and ensures even thickness. I also peek under the parchment paper occasionally to check the dough's progress and ensure it’s rolled out evenly.
5. Step 5: Once the dough is rolled out, place it on a sheet tray and chill for 10–15 minutes. Chilling the dough for halloween linzer cookies before cutting out cookies will make it easier to transfer them eventually to a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point the dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days (Just make sure you wrap it tightly)

Baking Instructions

1. Step 1: Use your favorite ghost cookie cutters to cut the rolled out linzer dough. Place the cut as close together as possible to maximize yield with each roll. lace the cuts as close together as possible to maximize the yield with each roll. You can re-roll the scraps up to 2 times, but avoid going beyond that - otherwise, the cookies may shrink a little while baking (though they’ll still taste just as delicious!).

2. Step 2: Using an offset spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Be sure not to overcrowd the tray. Leave enough space between each cookie to allow for even airflow and proper baking.

3. Step 3: With a round cutter (I use the wide opening of a Wilton 4 tip , about 1 ¾cm, 17mm) cut out the mouth off half of the cookies on the baking sheet.  Make sure you have an even number of tops (cookies with ghost faces) and bottoms.

4. Step 4: Using the  tip of an Ateco 801 Piping Tip (or any other small round cutter) cut out the eyes of the ghost cookies. Make sure to not cut the eyes too close.

5. Step 5: Half of the cookies should have a ghost face looking similar to the one shown in the photo.

6. Step 6:  Place the tray in the freezer while preheating the oven to 350F. The linzer cookies will bake more uniformly when the cut-out cookies are really cold.

7. Step 7: Bake the Halloween Linzer Cookies one sheet tray at a time for 10 - 11 minutes. The edges should just start to turn a light golden brown, while the centers remain soft. Keep in mind the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

8. Step 8: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the sheet tray for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.

How to fill Gluten Free Halloween Linzer Cookies

Please ensure the baked Linzer cookies are fully cooled before filling them. I use a seedless raspberry jam here, which I think is perfect for Halloween Ghost Cookies.

1. Step 1: Dust the top “ghost face” cookies (the ones with the cut-out mouths and eyes) lightly with powdered sugar to give them a spooky, frosty look.
2. Step 2: Spoon your favorite filling onto the bottom cookies (without cut-outs). Don't go overboard with the filling or it will squish out from the sides when you sandwich the cookies together.

3. Step 3: Gently sandwich the two halves together. I like to carefully pick up the powdered sugar dusted cookies on their edges and then place them on top of the filling.
4. Pro Tip: Linzer cookies actually taste better after a few hours or overnight - the filling softens the cookie slightly, giving the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature: Place the gluten free halloween linzer cookies in an airtight container. Layer them with parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 - 4 days.

Refrigerator: If you’re using a soft filling like jam, you can refrigerate the gluten free ghost cookies up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Freezing: Freezing unfilled baked linzer cookies is usually better - this keeps the cookies firmer and prevents the filling from making them soggy during long-term storage. You can also freeze unbaked cut out linzer cookies and bake them directly from frozen. Simply arrange the cut out cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until fully firm. Once solid, layer them in an airtight container with parchment between each layer. Store in the freezer for up to two months, and bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the usual baking time if needed.

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.